Dreaming
by Virga
Summary: [2nd fanfic] Souta's POV. Kagome has fallen down the well. Meet Inuyasha. Is he the key behind Kagome's sudden zombielike persona? Where does reality stop? Where does fantasy begin? And yet you can't help but believe, if only a little bit.
1. Prologue

NB: this story will be a little rough around the edges

Disclaimer: Inuyasha's copyright to Takahashi Rumiko will probably last another 80 years, and I don't think I'll be alive then.

**Dreaming**

Prologue

I guess it started when Nee-chan turned 15. My sister's 15th birthday, Mama says that is when it all started. I was eleven then, and I did a lot of the things a boy of that age would do.

Until she turned 15.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: My friends can record my crazy Jap teacher swinging her arms around and jumping up and down with their camera, then laugh their heads off (it looked sooooo funny. Get a camera that can record videos), and claim it as their own, but I can't claim Inuyasha.

**Dreaming**

Chapter 1

Buyo is the family cat. Which means that I feed him in the mornings, before school, and Kagome feeds him in the evenings. That's the way it works.

I couldn't find him. I wandered around, calling for him, and ended up at the well house. It's shut, because it's very old and Mama and Jii-chan don't want us getting hurt. I know Buyo wanders in there sometimes.

'Souta, what are you doing there? You know you're not allowed near the well house.'

That was my sister.

'I couldn't find Buyo, I think he's…'

That was me. The words seemed to roll off my tongue so easily. Maybe I should've given her a reassuring smile.

'…in the well house?!'

We both go in. It is dark and dusty, and the only light was coming from the open door and the small window grates high along the walls. It is a raised platform we are standing on, and steps lead down to a dirt floor, and the wooden well. When Papa was still alive, he made a ladder and nailed it to the inside of the well. 'So that I know that my children will always be happy and safe,' was what he had said.

He also said that it would eat our bones if we fell in, so I always feel its creepiness around the well house. Nee-chan doesn't believe in those stories. I know Jii-chan's are completely ridiculous but Papa's always has a grain of truth in them. That's what he used to say, anyway.

I heard a strange scratching noise. Both of us did. Kagome starts, but I am completely terrified. Boys are brave and strong, they can hold their own, easy. I forgot it all, latching onto Nee-chan like a lifeline. My voice is uncontrollable. 'T-there's something down there!'

She looked down at me, an amused look on the face. 'Like… our cat?'

Nee-chan smelt nice, and her warmth calmed me. I felt foolish. Still, I felt scared, and convince Nee-chan to look around for me. She chastised me in her matter-of-fact voice, but her threats were void of danger. She knew it and I knew it, and she knew I knew. She finished her speech with a, 'Souta, you're a boy, aren't you? You shouldn't be scared, it's only Buyo.'

She sighed and bouced down the stairs. I stared at her confidence with a kind of fascination. My arms tingled uncomfortably, even though I was wearing a jacket. Resisting the urge to hug myself, I peered at Nee-chan below.

Her back was to me; she seemed to be staring into the well. She was motionless, though swaying slightly, her movements uncertain. Then, suddenly, she froze, and yelled out loud. There was fear in that voice and it caused me to yell too.

Half her face was visible to me as she looked behind herself to her feet. I followed her gaze. It was our fat, fluffy cat, rubbing against her legs. I slump slightly, and became aware of my beating heart. It was fast, irregular.

Nee-chan was facing me then, looking at Buyo in her arms with a tender gaze. She seemed to be making to sit on the edge of the well. The prickly feeling is back.

'Nee-chan!' I cried out; Kagome had jerked back, her face turned to look into the well. Buyo had jumped out of her arms and passed me, out of the well house. Nee-chan was tense with shock, gasped in surprise, her face frozen to match her gasp.

Then I couldn't see her.

I must've called Jii-chan, for the next thing I could remember, Jii-chan and I were bending over the well, Jii-chan shining a torch down, looking at her unconscious form. I feel tears build up in my throat, but I fight them back, making a strangled whimper.

I'm a boy, after all, aren't I?


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Someone stole my new pencil case with all this new stuff in it that I never bothered labeling and I've given up on it so I can't put a claim on **that** either.

**Dreaming**

Chapter 2

I didn't want to go, but Mama made me go to school. She smiled at me, but when she turned away, her eyes darkened, her stance drooped, and her mouth became a thin line.

They had seen her unconscious at the bottom of the well, and Mama had called the fire department to help get her out. Jii-chan had rambled particularly more than usual, and last I had seen him he was in a ceremonial kimono, carrying 'sacred sake' and several 'o-fuda' – rectangular parchments with kanji written on them in calligraphy, having customary uses.

"Hey, Nezu-kun. Something wrong?"

I started, and turned to see an innocently concerned Akihiro. He was my best friend.

He asked again and I answered uncommitfully. He asked again and I relented slightly. "Nee-chan got into an accident."

His eyes popped and he leant toward me. "Really? Oh, wow! Was it a car crash? Was she hurt bad?"

There was no way I was going to say she had fallen down the old well at my place. It sounded stupid, even to my ears. "I'm really not too sure." Vague was the best answer I could give at the time. "O-kaa-san forced me to come. I wasn't able to find out anything."

If Kagome had broken her leg, I could've created a story about how she rescued Buyo from Goshinboku, but fell and broke her leg as she was going to climb down. It was heroic enough, and gave her a streak of tom-boy-ishness. She was, afterall, a girl.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't like dragging people; it feels as though I'm hurting them. I can't steal from Takahashi, because it feels as though I'm stealing from myself. (Don't write something stupid like '_You're not Takahashi Rumiko, idiot_' please)

Reviews?: My first review see me break down and cry. For this story, anyway. I feel so LOVED! w

**Dreaming**

Chapter 3

When I walked to and from school, I passed Kagome's school. I think they are right next to each other.

I was walking past her school, lost in thought, when I heard a group of girls' voices calling out. I turned around, mostly from curiosity. They could've been calling anyone.

I saw three older girls, probably the same age as Kagome. Maybe they knew her; they were wearing white and green uniforms similar to Nee-chan's. They came closer. They seemed so tall, and I knew that they wanted something to do with me.

"Aren't you Kagome-chan's little brother?" she asked. She had long hair and was wearing a headband. I recognized them then. They were Kagome's friends, who came over sometimes. They would stay locked in her room and talk for hours. I never got how girls did that. Then again, girls will talk about the stupidest, smallest, most insignificant things.

I nodded and said yes, I was her brother. They seemed more confident at my reply, and sounded relieved as they asked about the well-being of Nee-chan.

"Not too well," I heard myself say. "She's sick."

A girl's face knows no subtlety, maybe. I saw their eyes frown; their faces echoed each other, all worried. "Oh dear," one said. "What shall we do? Kagome will be missing school for a while. And we have a test coming up too."

Nee-chan sometimes whined about her schoolwork. And when she did I knew that nothing had happened that day. Her school was so boring, so boring that I had a general idea of all her work and what she did.

I knew that she had trouble in Maths, so I asked them if they could keep notes for Nee-chan to study when she came back. They agreed, though they sounded a little vague.

I hoped Nee-chan was all right. She would probably be awake, helping in the shrine after getting over missing school for the day. She hardly ever got sick. She took days off of school even less. She always sounded guilty if she talked about it. I never really understood that. I've taken as many sick days as was possible. Too bad colds aren't really considered sick enough for a kid to stay at home.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: When I compare my personality to those of the Inuyasha characters, I feel between Kikyou and Sesshoumaru, but nicer to an extent. Inuyasha doesn't belong to them, so Inuyasha doesn't belong to me either. It belongs to Takahashi Rumiko. (Her name looks cool in kanji)

**Dreaming**

Chapter 4

"Tadaima."

Jii-chan was sitiing at the table, reading a newspaper. At my voice, he folded it up, and looked at me gravely. It looked like he was going to tell me the history of a photo frame.

"Kagome is…"

My smile faded; my heart-beat sped up. My eyes widened and my voice caught in my throat. "What? How's Nee-chan? Is she all right? What is it, Jii-chan?"

He smiled. "Oh, you've got it all wrong, Souta, It's just that, she's still asleep. She hasn't broken any bones, which is suprising. Now, as for the well, I've sealed it up nice…"

"Yes, yes," I said, not really paying attention, "Hey, Jii-chan, is she upstairs in her room?"

"Yes, she is. Now, as I was saying…" I walked out to the hall and up the stairs. I heard Jii-chan stop suddenly with an 'Oi!' in an indignant voice, and his muttering, something about ungrateful grandchildren. Nee-chan was upstairs, asleep, so he was probably referring to me. I shrugged it off. I had to see Nee-chan for myself and make my own judgement.

Kagome and I had separate rooms, which was very good. I was lucky she was not a pink-loving girl. Pink would've looked horrible in her room. It's a nice pale yellow instead. She likes bright, simplistic colours. Maybe mixing white and red isn't simplistic enough for her.

Her room is as girly as it can be. Without pictures of guys, dolls, a vanity table, or that disguisting smell of perfume in other girls' rooms that makes you want to vomit.

She has lots of music. Her taste in music is great.

My room's about the same size as hers. It's a dark, army green, and I have a bookcase with a lot of books. I like action and adventure novels most. Oh, manga's good, too.

When I got to Kagome's room, I hesitate, and then knock. There is no response. It is strange, and I don't like it. I open the door and walk in. I hear breathing. She is lying on her back, on her bed, on top of the covers. Her bag and shoes are neatly next to her bed. I approach. Her position is straight, her legs together. She looks lifeless, like a human-sized doll.

I feel sad, and I begin to become worried. Why had she not woken up yet? I feel frustrated at myself, because if I had gone down for Buyo myself, none of this would've happened, and she would be awake for me to bug her. I feel so angry.

Buyo jumps onto the bed. I hadn't heard him come in. he walks from the foot of the bed up to Kagome, and curls up next to her head.

I can't help but feel a little warm inside.

------------------------------

Sorry for the long wait, I'm such a slacker. (evil grin)

But don't worry, I've finally got things a little under control now, so there MIGHT be more updates sooner (or not, whatever).

The story might speed up too, I dunno.


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: It is disclaimed.

I read this book called All The Rage by Yasmin Boland, and loved it. Not for anyone over 15, though. (evilgrin)

**Dreaming**

Chapter 5

It was after school, I remember, and I had run upstairs, heading for my room. I think I was going to go out again or something. Each stair creaked as I pounded up, as they always did. I liked how they creaked, because that way I knew if someone was coming up or down.

Nee-chan's door was open. Was it because… I looked inside.

Light streamed in through the window. The bed's covers were a mess. And there was no Nee-chan. "Nee-chan?!"

I ran out the house again, passing Buyo. Slipping thongs on at the front. I ran outside, looking, looking. I saw Jii-chan and started running up to him, but stopped abruptly. I could see what he could see, too.

Kagome Nee-chan.

But what was she doing in the well house?!

Jii-chan was rambling again, and I wasn't listening. Nee-chan seemed a little strange. She was walking slowly in little steps, swinging as she did so. She was staring at everything in front of her, as though she didn't think it was real. Then she looked at me and Jii-chan, and I noticed how blank her eyes looked. I asked if she was alright.

She hugged Jii-chan and started crying. I guess she wasn't.

Later on, when Mama got home, we got a little more than we expected, and I don't think she was lying.

I lay on my bed, thinking. What she had told us… was hard to comprehend. The well was some kind of time portal? Youkai? Oni? Denying the laws of physics? That was one hell of a dream she had. And apparently she met a boy there too. And someone she called Kaede Baa-chan.

…

Don't dreams reveal the desires of the heart, or something?

I was still mulling over her words when someone knocked on my door. "What?" I called.

"Souta?" My sister. She came in, closing the door behind her, and sat on the chair of my desk. Her hair was wet, a towel was around her shoulders. Her eyes searched my face. Uncomfortable, I stared at the ceiling again.

"Can I talk to you?"

"What do you want to talk about?" I remember when we were younger, and sometimes I would sleep in her room, scared of one thing or another. And we would talk. It would always start with me asking if I could talk to her. That day, it was the other way around.

"Do you believe me?" Her voice was as strong as ever, if a little timid.

"What do you mean?"

"Going back in time. Inuyasha. The shikon no tama." Inuyasha was the boy. The shikon no tama was a shiny rock she smashed. Apparently she lost the only shard she had.

"Nee-chan, I saw you down there. You didn't disappear, you've been out of it for three days. And in case you haven't noticed, time travel is the stuff of fantasy," I replied, still looking at the ceiling. I could've said more, but I think I made my point.

Silence.

"Souta," she snapped. "Do you think it was all some kind of dream, that I'm lying? That I never saw the things I did, or did the things I did? Do you even think that I'm capable of spinning such a long, elaborate lie? While unconscious? What kind of idiot are you?"

I exhaled slowly, turning to face the wall, so that I couldn't see her face out of the corner of my eyes. That was the problem, wasn't it? That was the weakest link in the chain of reality. The simple fact that my sister didn't have a single strand of imagination in her. She lived in a preppy world of study, shopping and soap operas, with time for little else. The imaginative streak just had to end up in me, and to my annoyance it was begging me to believe in time travel.

"Souta!" There was a thump, probably from her fist on my desk. "You're not listening!"

Urgh. "Look, just let me think on it, okay? It's not everyday this… sort of thing happens." Great. I made it sound like I believed her.

At least she wasn't angry anymore. "Come on, let's go downstairs."

Dinner.


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: …

**Dreaming**

Chapter 6

We had hardly begun dinner when Kagome suddenly said, "That hair!", and then bolted out of the house. I had never seen her run away from oden before, and I don't think I'll ever see it again.

Dread filled me, killing my appetite. I was already following her as Mama called for her to come back in a worried tone. Then they followed as well.

It was that well house again! She was inside, and as we came closer, she spun around to look at us with a panicked expression, and slammed the door suddenly, telling us not to go inside. I could hear strange noises, as though a great wind was sealed inside.

Mama and Jii-chan kept trying to open the door and asking questions. Couldn't they feel it? Nee-chan was in danger! Why couldn't I move? Why did I say nothing?

The door must've been caught. It snapped open. The silence was loud inside the still well house. My sister was sprawled at the foot of the stairs, in the dirt.

It took some arguing, but in the end we decided not to move her. Mama got out a futon and some sheets and tidied Kagome up. Seeing her lying there, with a completely blank expression on her unconscious face, made me frown a little. All this drama around her… and she's always asleep through it all…

Mama stayed with her all night.

I went home after school. The well house door was closed. Strange. I knocked. "Nee-chan?"

At first I thought she was still out of it, but then she said something. "… Souta."

I remembered our last conversation. "Nee-chan, are you… all right?"

"Well, I did nearly die, but it doesn't matter. Go figure."

"Huh?" I was confused. "Wait, start again. What happened?"

I waited for a while but she didn't say anything. Then when I was about to leave, I heard her say, "I'll tell you later."

I did my homework, then ran some laps around the shrine. There wasn't really anyone to kick a ball around with. Nee-chan turned up to dinner with a towel around her neck. While I was upstairs I could hear the murmurs of my sister and Mama. Then it was silent. I read a manga book.

Time crept by. I couldn't get into the story of the manga. I figeted. I put the book down and paced the room. I scanned the bookshelves for something to read. In the end I started at the beginning of the manga book again. Quietly I read the words aloud. The curtains were closed so that I couldn't see outside.

I hadn't heard her go to her room, though, so she was still there…

The electric lamp flickered.


End file.
